


Born to Power, Raised to Lead

by FaithWarrior



Series: The Bug in the Belfry [18]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Gen, MariBat, Maribat Bio Dad Bruce Wayne Month
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:07:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27577612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaithWarrior/pseuds/FaithWarrior
Summary: For Maribat Bio!Dad Bruce Wayne Month 2020 Day18: Twins (Not Reverse Robins).The story of how Twins born to rule the League of Assassins became something more.
Relationships: Batfamily Members & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Bruce Wayne, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Damian Wayne
Series: The Bug in the Belfry [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1905886
Comments: 3
Kudos: 327
Collections: Maribat Bio!Dad Bruce Wayne Month





	Born to Power, Raised to Lead

**Author's Note:**

> So this is somewhat of a prequel to Pets. I am also planning on continuing this AU for Day 24: Advice. Takes place kinda in a world along the lines of the DC animated movies including Son of Batman, Bad Blood, and Justice League vs Teen Titans.

The league of assassins was a mighty and feared organization. It had withstood the tests of time and its enemies. The league deserved an heir that could carry on its legacy after the fall of Ras Al Ghul. 

It got two.

Through her dalliance with the son of Gotham Talia Al Ghul bore twin heirs for the league. Damian Al Ghul, and Marinette Al Ghul. Together the twins would eventually be the guiding hands of the world. The demon and the shadow.

The twins were raised, or rather trained, harshly from a young age. Weapons, martial arts, tactics, languages, diplomacy, torture, manipulation, anything that they may need to take their place as the demons head. 

Damian was a master of the blade, and most other fighting styles. He was swift and cunning in battle. Always finishing his matches with profound efficiency.

Marinette was clever and quick witted, using her surroundings to take advantage of any situation. She was the tactician out of the two. Compared to her brother's quick fury she was calm and patient.

They were the prized jewels of the league. But their loyalties were first and foremost always to each other. For leaders could not succeed without trust in their equal. Maybe Thalia perceived that this bond would allow the twins to leave rather than keeping them close, but that wasn’t quite the point of this story.

The twins were 10 when the league fell. Marinette had seen the signs in the weeks leading up to the coo, but her mother and grandfather thought it was just the usual unrest. When Ras fell Talia took them to the only place they would possibly be safe, and cared for, Gotham.

Talia left Marinette and Damian behind a curtain as she ‘confronted’ the man who would hopefully take them in. Bruce Wayne, their father.

“Ras is dead. Now the man who killed him is after us.” Talia said after she finished her slightly nauseating power play with the bat.

“Us?”

“Not you.” Talia corrected. “Me, and your children.”

“Children?” A hint of disbelief appeared in his tone. 

Damian stepped out of the shadows hidden by the curtain and Marinette followed at his shoulder. 

“You expect me to believe this?” The man asked suspiciously. Marinette could imagine the man's eyebrows raising behind the mask, like Damians did when he spoke with that tone.

“I assure you, the twins are yours.” Talia answered in a sultry tone.

Domain took the initiative to approach the Batman, their father. With the ease of practice and routine Marinette followed him in step up to the tall man. “Don’t look so stunned father, I thought you’d be taller.” Damian blurted out without preamble.

Marinette resisted the urge to smack her brother. It would not do to present a divided front. No matter how idiotic her twin could be. “It is lovely to finally meet you father.” Marinette began with her most charming smile. “Mother always had such good things to say about you.”

“Did she?” The man said suspiciously.

Talia chose to step in. “Their names are Damian and Marinette. I’m certain that whatever test you run will show you they are indeed your children.” 

Suspicious doesn't even begin to describe the man's reaction. “We’ll see.” He tilts his head back down to look at them. 

“For now they will be safer with you until I take care of those who are after us.” Talia continued.

“Fine.” Batman growled.

And so Marinette and Damian stood behind their father as they watched their mothers boat drive away. 

“So, you didn’t know about us.” Damian commented. Marinette subtly shot him a look of warning as their father replied.

“No.”

“And now mother has made us your responsibility.”

“Something like that.” 

“This isn't necessary, we do fine by ourselves.” Damian tried to argue.

He was right. Together they could handle anything. Marinette grabbed her brother's hand and squeezed in a quick motion that was hidden by their cloaks. 

“So do I.” Marinette fought a snort of derision having read the man's extensive file. “But things have changed.” Batman said turning to them. “She thinks you’ll both be better off with me for now.”

Damian raised a brow. “What do you think?”

“Better than the League of Assassins.”

“They taught us how to fight.” Damian argued.

“And I take it not much else.” Batman rebuked.

Marinette had heard enough. “Only a multitude of languages, cultural histories, advanced warfare techniques along with diplomacy and most sets of formal etiquette used around the world.” She said derisively. Marinette didn't falter as the man's attention turned to her. “There are also the basics in mathematics, advanced physics, computer science, engineering.” She fixed her own eyes on the man's mask. “We are no ordinary children, father.” Marinette finished.

The man did not appear to know how to respond and instead chose to turn away. Marinette counted that as a win. He pressed a button on his belt to open up the waiting Batmobile.

“I’ll drive.” Damian stated. 

“No.” 

“I hope that thing has a back seat.” Marinette commented.

As soon as they were seated in the car, Damian in front and Marinette in back to watch his back, Batman made a call to his butler. Marinette remembers him from reading his file that the butler basically raised their father, he is an important and trusted ally.

When they arrived The butler was waiting for them. Marinette found she was somehow unsurprised to find out the man had already prepared a room, or rather a suite for the two of them. Damian was less impressed, Marinette figured he hadn’t read that part of the file. Sloppy, but not unexpected out of her brother. They covered each other's blind spots after all.

Of course Marinette and Damian immediately swept their new quarters for any bugs or listening devices. It would not do to let their skills fall behind, or to have their security be compromised.

Marinette hacked their way into the batcave their second night in the manor. They had slept most of the day after their long journey. Her actions prevented Damian from causing any substantial damages to their fathers home. 

The cave was not empty.

“How did you get in here?” The lanky form of the bats most recent ward asked. Marinette was unsure if the teen was apprised of their identities or not, but from his reaction she would assume he had some knowledge.

Of course Damian proceeded to provoke the teen before they were interrupted by the arrival of the acrobat Grayson.

Marinette watched and gathered intel. It was her job. Let Damian instigate a reaction so she can analyze the results, and rein her brother in if he goes too far.

As Grayson started to lecture Damian and the current Robin, 15 year old Tim drake, Marinette watched. The boys bickered back and forth like chicks in a nest. It was ironic considering the avian mantel of the sons of Batman. 

When Marinette thought her brother might lose his temper and overplay their hand she interrupted. “Brother.” She stated loudly. Her crisp statement drew the attention of all three males. “ _ We must hold our tempers lest we lose ourselves. _ ” She reminded him in Arabic. From what she remembered of her mother’s files on the bat family these two were not fluent in Arabic.

“Interesting choice in words.” A voice says from the shadows behind her.

Marinette curses in her head. Bruce Wayne does understand Arabic. She is supposed to be one with the shadows, and yet she missed someone hiding with her.

The twins were escorted out of the cave that night. But the next they were back in. Using old, and much smaller, uniforms Marinette was able to steal and tailor to their sizes. Two nights later a new Robin and Batgirl hit the rooftops. 

The city observed the younger Robin carrying katanas while the Batgirl wielded a collection of batarangs and twin custom kusarigamas in her hands. They didn’t get much further than confronting Ubu before they were intercepted.

Once they were back in the cave Marinette watched as the men debated before interrupting. The current topic was the use of the Robin uniform while Tim was already Robin.

“The mantle is handed down upon the previous Robin reaching Maturity and a new protege beginning their own training.” She began. Marinette knew how her brother viewed the role of Robin, but she did not. “Timothy has almost reached maturity, and Damian and myself are several stages ahead in our training compared to where your protégés generally start patrolling. If you would prefer to test our skills first we can give you a demonstration.”

The room is shocked silent, though Damian has a smug look on his face. She resists the urge to scowl at him. Professional and composed is the only way they will be allowed outside the manor. At least one of them must keep their wits about them. 

Eventually they are sent back to their shared room, but Marinette feels that some sort of progress has been made. Until Damian decides that they need to go off half cocked after Ubu. This of course got them into a bit of a pickle that their father had to pull them out of.

They learn to live with their fathers rules. To an extent. But there are times when they drift back to their roots. Them against the world, twin forces crafted to reshape the very foundation of civilization. With the rest of the Batfamily it was easier. Their styles were similar enough to be compatible, and the overall dynamic fit Marinette and Damian better than working with many others. Family was something they both understood, no matter how complicated it may be. 

When their father was kidnapped by their mother they were able to work with their unconventional family to retrieve him. It was an odd way to state their removal from their mothers pre designated path for them.

Eventually though their father decided that they needed to understand the meaning of teamwork outside of the two of them. He sent them to the Teen Titans, together at first.

Nightwing dropped them off with Damian in a mood. Of course her twin couldn't be persuaded to at least try being civil. She had to admit though, being around other teens who were less than normal was an interesting change. And it gave them the opportunity to prove that they could work as part of a team. Even if it took a few tries.

Bruce Wayne later sent his daughter to stay with the family of an old teacher in Paris. And his son remained with the Teen Titans. Most likely his hope in splitting them up was to have them form relationships past their twin, not that they couldn't talk by way of phone or secure video chat.

In Paris Marinette was finally able to spread her wings. In the League it was understood that Damian would be the true leader, if the two of them hadn't been so close, practically codependent, it truly would have ended that way. Damian and Marinette had a special bond, they relied on each other for decisions and support, for backup in battle and life. But there was still the nagging thought that Marinette was a second to her brother, or more recently her father. She stood at their shoulders and fought their battles.

In a bit of surprising kismet Marinette found her own war to fight in Paris as Ladybug. She could lead and train Chat Noir in this fight so both of them would succeed. With her training this was more like a fun challenge than a stressful emergence. 

Damian figured it out almost immediately. He had always been somewhat aware of Marinette's feelings about her position in their fights. Having the opportunity to take the lead in a more permanent capacity was evident in her behavior. Damian had tried to encourage her before, but it is different being chosen to lead than to have power handed off temporarily to her by her brother, though she appreciates the efforts.

They decide to keep the situation to themselves for the time being. Though Bruce was somewhat aware of the existence of a situation Marientte was choosing to exclude the extent of the situation and her involvement for the time being. 

After all, Marinette could do teamwork, she would just make her own team. The Justice League was just a big pain to deal with, and Bruce always had a stick up his butt when dealing with those meta jerks. Or just all the time.

**Author's Note:**

> So I had the thought to go through clips and add Marinette into the Bad Blood and Justice League vs Teen Titans plots, but that was a lot of effort and I was kinda feeling done with this segment of the AU for the time being. Basically I wanted to give you guys something and didn't feel like going into the dark whole that is word for word adding a character into a movie plot.


End file.
